Key Dates

Related Announcements

• December 21, 2023 - Notice of NCI’s Participation in NIH Mentored Research Scientist Development Awards (Parent K01) Notices of Funding Opportunity. See NOT-CA-24-020
• May 6, 2020 - Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (Parent K01 - Independent Clinical Trial Required). See NOFO PA-20-176
• May 6, 2020 - Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (Parent K01 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed). See NOFO PA-20-190
• May 6, 2020 - Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (Parent K01 - Independent Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required). See NOFO PA-20-191

Issued by

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Purpose

This Notice of Special Interest (NOSI) from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) invites applications from early career scientists conducting early translational research in cancer prevention, interception, screening, and early detection within the mission of the Division of Cancer Prevention (DCP) for the Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01).

Background

The NCI Cancer Training Branch in the Center for Cancer Training and DCP are issuing this announcement to allow applications from early-career scientists conducting cancer prevention research within the mission of DCP to the K01 Mentored Career Development Award funding opportunities. The focus of this research area is early translational research aimed at advancing the application of the mechanistic and scientific understanding of carcinogenesis and human biology towards interventions focused on cancer prevention, interception, screening, and early detection. These mechanistic understandings can be informed by research conducted across basic science, epidemiology, behavioral, or clinical studies and by varied scientific disciplines. Early translational research spans preclinical (e.g., cell and tissue culture, animal models) to clinical (e.g., small early phase clinical trials) research and may include areas such as development and testing of interception agents (including small molecules, vaccines and biologics), novel and precision methods for screening, early detection, and management of average- and high-risk cohorts, and early diagnostic biomarker development. This research could draw upon areas such as molecular and systems biology, diagnostics, vaccine and drug development, pharmacology, and biomedical engineering, along with many other related disciplines. The ultimate objective of this research would be to develop novel human interventions and human-centered adaptation of current interventions with the potential to reduce cancer risk, incidence, and mortality, and improve quality of life. More information about potentially relevant research areas can be found by examining the mission and scientific scope of the Division of Cancer Prevention (DCP).

Research

Priority research areas for DCP include but are not limited to:

• Cancer Prevention/ Interception
  • Identifying novel targets for cancer prevention and interception, including targetable pathways, neoantigens and tumor-associated antigens present early in cancer development;
  • Developing novel cancer preventive interventions, including natural products, small molecules, and cancer preventive vaccines or procedures;
  • Developing precision prevention strategies for average- and high-risk populations, the latter including people with germline mutations that increase cancer risk, cancer survivors, and people living with HIV;
  • Conducting interventional trials focused on prevention/interception of cancer using novel agents, methods, screening tests, or agent delivery strategies; and
  • Developing and validating novel cancer preventive agent delivery strategies, such as sustained release and topical drug delivery, to reduce the harms related to systemic exposure.
• Cancer Early Detection/ Screening
  • Discovery, development, evaluation, and validation of molecular and imaging biomarkers and their applications for early cancer detection (the discrimination between benign, precancerous and early malignant lesions) and risk assessment for all cancers, including cancers that are currently the most lethal and recalcitrant;
  • Liquid biopsy studies on detection and/or quantification of circulating DNA, miRNA, exosomes, extracellular vesicles (EVs), etc., from blood and other bodily fluids with specific focus on pre- cancer and early cancer detection and/or risk assessment for cancer development;
  • Developing and validating novel screening tools and strategies, such as self-sampling, self-testing, and point-of-care testing to increase accessibility and acceptability of cancer screening for all populations; and
  • Conducting retrospective analyses of existing biospecimens, such as biospecimens collected from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial and the National Lung Cancer Screening Trial (NLST), and others, collected within clinical trials or cohort studies to evaluate molecular imaging or biomarkers for early detection and risk stratification.

Application and Submission Information

This notice applies to due dates on or after February 12, 2024 and subsequent receipt dates until further notice. Submit applications for this initiative using the following notices of funding opportunity (NOFOs) or any reissues of these NOFOs.

• PA-20-176 - Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (Parent K01 - Independent Clinical Trial Required)
• PA-20-190: - Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (Parent K01 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
• PA-20-191 - Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (Parent K01 - Independent Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required)

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and the NOFO used for submission must be followed, with the following additions:

• For funding consideration, applicants must include NOT-CA-24-023" (without quotation marks) in the Agency Routing Identifier field (Box 4b) of the SF424 R&R form. Applications without this information in Box 4b will not be accepted.

Applications nonresponsive to terms of this NOSI will not be considered for the NOSI initiative.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to the Scientific/Research, Peer Review, and Financial/Grants Management contacts in Section VII of the listed notice of funding opportunity.

Scientific/Research Contact(s)

For questions related to the Division of Cancer Prevention research interests

Jessica Faupel-Badger, PhD, MPH

National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Telephone: 240-276-7296
Email: Jessica.Faupel-Badger@nih.gov

For questions related to the NCI K01 Mentored Research Scientist Development Award

Sergey Radaev, PhD

National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Telephone: 240-276-5630
Email: sradaev@mail.nih.gov

Peer Review Contact(s)

Examine your eRA Commons account for review assignment and contact information (information appears two weeks after the submission due date).

Financial/Grants Management Contact(s)

Amy Bartosch

National Cancer Institute
Telephone: 240-276-6375
Email: amy.bartosch@nih.gov